Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-06-13
COKE STRIKES WIN.
Andrew Carnegie Grants the Demands OF
the Frick Company Meu.


PITTsBURG. June 12.-Andrew Carnegie
has sent a cablegram from his castle in
the Scotch Highlands to the firm Of Car
negie Bros. & Co. which caused the latter
to crush the Pittsburg coke syndicate,
though backed by millions, with one blow.
There is CONSERVATION to-day among the
coke operators in consequence, and that
Napoleon of them all, II. c. Frick, is
among those who have been compelled to
bow to Carnegie's mandate.
The Carnegies own majority of the
stock in the H. C. Frick Coke Company,
and the Carnegies want coke very badly
for their iron and steel mills. Several
days ago Henry Phipps informed II. c.
Frick, manager of the Frick Company, that
the coke operators had better grant the
advance in wages demanded by the work
men in the COnnellsville region. Mr..
Frick was of different mind. As lead
ing member of the syndicate he had joined
refused to grant any adyance-tirst, upon
the ground that it could not be afforded,
and, second, that the question of wages
had been settled by arbitration, and he
was bound to insist, along with his aSsO-
ciateS in the syndicate, that the award be
accepted. The Carnegies still insisted that
the strike at the works in which they were
interested must close, and Mr.. Frick there
upon rendered his resignation. The Car
negles cast all feeling aside in the matter
and elected Henry j. Phipps, Jr., of Car
negie Bros. x Co., manager. Mr.. Phipps
to-day notified his ssuperlntendents tOgrant
to the men the advance of twelve per cent.
+ which they struck on May ]. This COM
pany employs 5000 hands, all Of whom
will receive the increase.
Mr.. Frick said to-day that there really
had been no rupture between himself and
the Carnegies, but that they could not
agree on the question of paying the wages
demanded. Il did not feel justified in
granting the advance" said Mr.. Frick,
and as the Carnegies have the balance OF
power and insisted that it should he given
in order that their extensive iron industries
might not suffer for want of coke, | re-
signed. As tar as | know, there were no
other differences and there was no fault to
be found with my management.
ACTION OF THE SYNDICATE.
The coke syndicate held a special meeting
yesterday morning, which was largely at
tended, and number of the outside opera
tors were also present. The practical split in
- a ba i,,t. To
ment and the members were equally busy
in cOndemning the Carnegies and praiSing
Frick. Their action leaves them in the
position which they have held from the
beginning of the strike. They have not
determined to cOncede tine advance, and
one member said they were not likely to
give it. 1t is agreed, however, that with
the concessions made by the II. c. Frick
Company 1t will be a hard matter for the
other operators to maintain the stand they
have taken. The Frick Company controls
One-iOuTth of the ovens included in the
syndicate. 4 member Otthe syndicate gave
a history OF the affair in detail this after
noon. He said:
In December last the CarncgicS pur
chased the interest of the Ferguson Bros.
in the Frck Company, which gave them
-. 2DD, ,UUO and H. c. Frick $500, 900 of the
-, ,OOO, 600 capital stock. On two previous
occasions the coke producers thought best
TO resist the demands of the EMPLOYEES for
an advance i'll wages, but were compelled
to yield because Mr.. Frick's partners so
desired in the interest of their steel and
iron industries From present indications
the syndicate will have To 90 TO pieces, and
then the price of coke will 90 down, unless
some arrangement can be effected whereby
concerted action can be taken The pro-
ductIOu of the region is in excess of the
demand. If there is no organization of
coke men there can he no regular scale of
wages The workmen will have no one to
confer with save the individual operators.
Ii the price of coke drops to where it was
before the syndicate was formed-9O cents
and 81 per tOn-the wOrkmen will suffer
as well rs the operators. "
WHAT Is SAID FOR THE CARNEGIES.
The syndicate, or what remains of it,
will hold another meeting, but no decisive
action will be taken
A call was made at the Office of Carnegie
Brothers Il Co, hut neither Mr.. PhippS nor
Mr.. Stewart could he found. Several OF
the coke operators were there waiting to
have 4 conference with Mr. PhippS, and
looked rs though they had been struck by
lightning A gentleman connected with
the firm said that the BraddOck Mills
were closed down for want of coke
ahd that the Edgar Thompson Steel
Works would have been compelled TO close
in a few days had they not decided to put
thSFrick Company ovens into operation.
The firm. he said, had large orders on
hand which they could not postpone.
They had not voted to start up the coke
ovens in opposition TO the coke syndicate
or any OF the coke operators, but were
compelled to do so in the interest OF their
iron and steel business. Work was not re-
Sumed at the Frick ovens this morning,
but the men will 20 to work ON Monday.